1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of clothes washing machines and, more particularly, to the incorporation of a wash solution mixing system for a washing machine.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A typical clothes washing operation includes the placing of clothes to be laundered within a wash or inner tub which is rotatable within an outer, fixed tub. Thereafter, water and detergent are added into the wash tub to form a cleaning or wash solution. The clothes are then subjected to various wash, drain and rinse cycle portions. The inner tub is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes such that the cleaning solution is actually retained by the outer tub. The outer tub has associated therewith a port for draining the cleaning solution between consecutive cycle portions through the operation of a pump.
When filling the wash tub, a substantial portion of the detergent is actually directed right into the drain port in order to initially fill the drainage system. Typically, the first 10-15 seconds of fill time simply functions to fill the drain system. If detergent is introduced during this period, that detergent will actually be used to fill the drain system. Even if the introduction of the detergent is delayed, the detergent will tend to sink to this low point. In washing machines that incorporate a recirculation feature, the water and detergent in this drainage zone will still be available for use in the wash cycle. However, in such a washing machine arrangement, either an additional recirculation pump or complicated valving and flow structure must be employed to enable one pump to perform both recirculating and draining operations. That is, a pump would need to be used to reintroduce the detergent in the drainage zone back to the load of clothes being laundered. In washing machines which do not having recirculation features, the detergent concentration in the overall washing solution will be reduced due to a percentage of detergent being lost in the drainage zone.
In order to provide for a more effective overall washing operation by enhancing stain removal performance, it would be desirable to promote the dissolving and distributing of the detergent in the overall wash solution. In any event, there exists a need in the art for a washing machine incorporating a system designed to assure that detergent which has settled in a drainage zone of a washing machine during an initial fill period of a washing operation will be effectively mixed with a remainder of the washing solution in order to assure that sufficient amounts of detergent will be available for an improved wash cycle, instead of being wasted in the drainage zone. There particularly exists a need in the art for a detergent collection arrangement in a horizontal axis washing machine which does not employ a recirculation system.
The present invention is directed to a system for assuring the mixing of detergent into a wash solution during an initial portion of a wash cycle in a clothes washing machine, particularly a horizontal axis or tumble-type washing machine. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, an additional step is employed in the wash cycle wherein the inner tub or wash basket is rotated or tumbled at a higher speed for the purpose of mixing and distributing the wash solution. Most preferably, this additional step occurs shortly after the washing machine has been filled with water for a programmed washing operation.
In accordance with the invention, the time and tumble speed associated with this additional step is established to provide sufficient mixing, while avoiding the development of excessive suds. In accordance with the most preferred embodiment, the wash basket is tumbled in the order of 70 RPM for approximately 9 seconds at about 3 minutes after the fill portion of the wash cycle is completed. In any event, additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the drawing.